This invention relates to automotive suspensions and, more particularly, to an improved suspension strut upper support mount for hydraulic suspension dampers providing increased stroke length and mount oscillating and side load tunability.
An example of a suspension strut upper support mount having an improved spring characteristic is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,465,296 issued Aug. 14, 1984 to Shiratori et al. The invention provides a rubber block having a predetermined configuration for receiving oscillating loads in a relatively smooth manner.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,587 issued May 31, 1988 to Farrell, assigned to the assignee of the present application, discloses a low profile strut isolator and jounce bumper upper mount providing a compact resilient assembly adaptable for a vehicle having a reduced hood line.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,478,396 issued Oct. 23, 1984 to Kawaura discloses an elastic support structure for a vehicle suspension shock comprising a first rigid member to be subjected to shocks and vibrations produced in a wheel assembly, a second rigid member to which shocks and vibrations may be transferred from the first rigid member, and an elastic member composed of a least two segments similar in geometry constructed independently of each other formed with annular grooves.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,370 issued Jan. 7, 1992 to McClellan is an example of a vehicle front suspension strut having integrated jounce and rebound stops. In the McClellan patent, the suspension spring rebound load is placed on a lower rebound stop member of the mount and the suspension jounce load is placed on an upper jounce stop member of the mount.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,730 issued Jun. 19, 1990 to Okuzumi is an example of a vehicle front suspension strut wherein the upper end of the strut piston rod is engaged in an inner sleeve of a mount insulator for limited axial movement relative to the inner sleeve.